Manitowoc's BEST Kept Secret? This Days Inn Will SHOCK You!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because we're diving HEADFIRST into the supposedly "SHOCKING" world of Manitowoc's "BEST Kept Secret"… the Days Inn. (Insert dramatic music sting here… or, you know, just the sound of a keycard being swiped.)
First, let's just say, "Secret?" Maybe not. But "Shocking?" Alright, alright… I'm intrigued. Let's break this down, shall we? My expectations? Low. My hope? Finding a hidden gem. My reality? Well… we'll get there.
Accessibility & Safety: More Than Meets the Eye (Thankfully!)
Right off the bat, a big YES to wheelchair accessibility. This is HUGE for a lot of travelers, and the Days Inn website does seem to be upfront on it. The elevator is a blessed sight, especially after a long drive. They also list facilities for disabled guests, which, frankly, is a relief. Access is pretty key, and I'm cautiously optimistic they've got it covered.
Now, on the safety front… and let's be real, in these times, it's top of mind. They've listed a laundry list (pun intended) of safety measures, including anti-viral cleaning products, daily disinfection in common areas, professional-grade sanitizing services, and room sanitization opt-out available. Okay, that's a lot of sanitizing. It's reassuring, but also makes me wonder… what's the before look like? Haha. They also mention staff trained in safety protocol… which is crucial. You see it in a lot of places and the staff is as chill as a frozen popsicle. Hand sanitizer stations are mentioned, thank goodness, and most importantly, a doctor/nurse on call. Okay, so a very extensive list. They need to say all this, of course, but the proof will be in the (sanitized) pudding. CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, fire extinguisher, smoke alarms: Again, all good things.
Cleanliness & Safety: The Real Deal? (This is where it gets interesting…)
*Okay, deep breath. Here's where the rubber *really* meets the road.* After all that talk about cleaning, what does it actually look like? Are they really slinging around the bleach like it's going out of style? Or is this just some marketing fluff? I’m very curious about the rooms sanitized between stays part. Because if it isn't, well… let’s just say I'll be writing another review. The hot water linen and laundry washing is a given, but it's good to see it listed. Sanitized kitchen and tableware items is a non-negotiable. Individually-wrapped food options -- a nice touch. Fingers crossed that I feel safe.
Now, here's a little personal anecdote. I once stayed in a hotel that said everything was cleaned. But… and this is a BIG but… I found a hair in the shower. A single hair. It was… unsettling. It can ruin your whole mindset. So, Days Inn, I’m watching you. This is where you cannot fail! They have rooms sanitized between stays, all these protocols are there for a reason.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fueling the Adventure (or Not…)
Okay, let's be realistic: we’re not expecting Michelin-star dining, but a basic sustenance is essential. A buffet in restaurant is mentioned, but I am very scared. So, let's check the basics. Is there a coffee shop for that morning caffeine fix? They didn’t explicitly mention it. Breakfast [buffet] seems to be there, which is a plus for convenience. Room service [24-hour]? Now, that's interesting. Could be a lifesaver, or a source of late-night regret. They have happy hour, because what is all this if you can’t get a cocktail. Poolside bar--now, that's a good selling point! Snack bar---a necessity. A la carte in restaurant---great! Let's hope they have a decent coffee/tea in restaurant.
The real killer, however, is if they’re serving a Western breakfast.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things Make a Huge Difference
Okay, let's check for the little things that will make or break your stay. Air conditioning in public area---essential. Cash withdrawal? Good. Concierge? Likely not. Daily housekeeping---essential. Elevator---yes, awesome! Dry cleaning and laundry service? Excellent. Luggage storage---helpful!
They have facilities for disabled guests. Indoor venue for special events---okay! Outdoor venue for special events---that's cool. Business facilities? Probably, but that means a Xerox/fax in business center, which… is it 1995 again?
For the Kids: Family Fun?
Hey, if you're traveling with kids – and bless you, you brave soul! – they list Babysitting service, family/child friendly, kids meal, which is pretty awesome. Kids facilities? Who knows what that entails, but I'm intrigued.
Getting Around: Manitowoc and Beyond
So, airport transfer? Could be helpful. Car park [free of charge]? Essential for a place where you’re likely driving. Car park [on-site] is good too. Taxi service? Always nice to have. Valet parking… is probably not happening at a Days Inn in Manitowoc.
Available in all rooms:
Okay, so let's talk about my favorite part: the room! The basic things they list, Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Desk, Free bottled water, etc., are all what you expect, but can you believe some don't have all these things? But let's look at the extras…
Bathrobes, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Hair dryer, In-room safe box, Laptop workspace, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, Private bathroom, Reading light, Refrigerator, Satellite/cable channels, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free]---okay, not bad. This is where the room makes or breaks the experience. I've been in hotel rooms that are nicer than my apartment, and I've been in rooms that feel like a prison cell with a questionable history.
The "Shocking" Claim: Does the Days Inn Deliver?
Okay, friends, here's the thing. I haven't been there. But even if it's not literally "shocking," I'm optimistic. The emphasis on safety and accessibility is a good sign. I’m looking forward to the Wi-Fi [free] and hopefully the Air conditioning works. My focus is on, what does the room feel like? Is it truly… clean?
Why Book Manitowoc's "Best Kept Secret?" Here's My Take:
Look, let's be honest: you probably aren't expecting the Ritz-Carlton. But if you're looking for a clean, accessible, and hopefully safe place to rest your head in Manitowoc, this Days Inn has potential. It's a decent "jumping off point" for the local area. The fact that they emphasize safety is fantastic -- especially in the current situation. If you're like me -- a traveler always hoping for the best -- this place might be it. I've been surprised before.
Here's My Pitch (And a Little Honesty):
Tired of the Ordinary? Tired of cookie-cutter hotels that feel…meh? Then prepare to be maybe pleasantly surprised! Manitowoc's Days Inn might be your unexpected sanctuary. I'm not saying it's perfect, but the emphasis on cleanliness, the potential for a decent room, and the accessibility features make it worth a gander.
Book Now, Because Honestly, You Might Just Like It (And It Might Actually Be a "Secret" No More!)
So, book your stay and discover what Manitowoc’s “Best Kept Secret” really is. It's an adventure!
P.S. If anyone reading this actually books and stays, PLEASE comment and let me know what you thought! I'm seriously invested in the outcome.
Escape to Paradise: Bradenton's Best-Kept Secret Awaits!
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's itinerary. This is my Days Inn by Wyndham Manitowoc (WI) diary of delightful disaster… I mean, journey. Prepare for tangents, existential dread, and possibly a deep craving for questionable vending machine snacks.
Day 1: The Arrival (and the Existential Dread of Carpet)
- 1:00 PM: Arrived in Manitowoc. God, the drive from… Wisconsin… was a drag. Endless fields of… well, fields. My GPS, of course, decided to take a detour that involved a dirt road and a near-miss with a rogue badger. (I swear, I saw a flash of fur! Or maybe it was just roadkill. Either way, dramatic.)
- 1:30 PM: Checked into the Days Inn. The lobby… well, it exists. Let's just say the decor screams "late 90s Comfort Inn". The staff was friendly enough, bless their hearts. The room… okay, here we go: The carpet. Oh, the carpet. It's that kind of industrial-strength, vaguely floral, slightly-stained wall-to-wall situation that just feels like it's seen things. Things I probably don't want to know about. I'm already developing a mild phobia of walking barefoot.
- 2:00 PM: Unpacked. (Minimal. I'm a packing minimalist bordering on chaotic.) My suitcase, bless its weary soul, looks like it's been through some serious battles. Found a rogue sock. No idea where it came from, but it's now my official travel companion.
- 2:30 PM: The real unpacking began: settling and getting into the space, this is where the real fun is. I had this weird sense of not being in the right place at all. It's as if wherever I go, the right place seems to be just around the corner or further away and I don't know which.
- 3:00 PM: Wandered aimlessly around the room, contemplating the meaning of life (or, you know, the remote's battery situation). The view? A parking lot. The existential dread is setting in. Should I have chosen the view-less side? Why didn't I ask? Did that even matter? Probably not.
- 4:00 PM: The Manitowoc Maritime Museum! Okay, this was actually pretty cool. I'm a sucker for history, and the submarines were just… whoa. Getting to see how they worked and imagining what it was like to be on one was something. The stories of the crew were equally awe-inspiring and terrifying.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a local diner. The waitress, a woman named Betty with hair the color of a sunset and eyes that have seen things, recommended the patty melt. It was… okay. Greasy, delightful, and exactly what I needed. Conversation with Betty involved tales of Manitowoc's "glory days" and my less-than-stellar driving directions. Betty's a national treasure, don't tell her I said so.
- 7:30 PM: Back at the hotel. Contemplating the carpet. Seriously, it's calling to me. I think it's trying to tell me secrets. Either that or I'm just REALLY tired. Vending machine snack time: Cheetos and a mystery soda. Wish me luck.
- 8:00 PM: Walked to the front desk and got some extra coffee. I think I'm going to spend a whole night drinking coffee and writing about what I've seen, and maybe just stare at the carpet.
Day 2: The Lake & The Lemonade (and the Impending Doom of Laundry)
- 9:00 AM: Woke up. The carpet, shockingly, did not attack me in my sleep. Win! Swung by the hotel's "continental breakfast." Let's just call it a collection of beige items, mostly involving the word "processed." Ate a questionable donut.
- 10:00 AM: Walked to Lake Michigan. Gorgeous! The water was so calm, the sky was vast, and the feeling of the lake was, is and always will be… beautiful. This is the kind of peace I was looking for. I even found a few pretty rocks. I swear time stopped, there was just me and the vastness of the lake. Spent an hour just walking and looking and breathing.
- 11:00 AM: The wind started picking up, and I swear I saw a glimpse of a ghostly ship. Or maybe it was just me. Regardless, the lake was something else. I could stay there all day.
- 12:00 PM: Did I mention I was hungry? I did. Lunch.
- 1:30 PM: Found a lemonade stand. The lemonade? Perfection. Pure, tart, glorious perfection. Talked to the kid running it, a kid with eyes that could melt glaciers and a smile to melt hearts. He shared his dreams of becoming a marine biologist specializing in… well, I think he said "ghostly ship research".
- 2:30 PM: Laundry time. The bane of every traveler's existence. The hotel laundry room was… functional. Found a stray sock in the dryer. This is becoming a theme.
- 3:30 PM: Went back to Lake Michigan for the sunset. It was a good sunset, that's for sure. The sky was pretty. Not as pretty as when I walked there in the morning but it was ok.
- 4:00 PM Back near the hotel, I notice the light from the sun beaming through a window. I peeked to see who was inside. A man, reading a book. I didn't see his face, but I was pretty sure he was reading. I thought of how amazing reading seems these days. I'll catch myself in a moment of reading time. That's what I'm looking forward to.
- 5:00 PM: Headed back to the hotel and started on my nightly routine: laundry, walk, dinner, writing, maybe a book?
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a local diner again (different one). Had some fish. Ok.
- 7:00 PM: I was back at the hotel. Got some more coffee. I figured I will get more coffee every day.
- 8:00 PM: I was thinking about packing for home. I wish I could stay longer.
Day 3: The Departure (and the Aftermath of the Carpet)
- 9:00 AM: One last look at the breakfast. I am starting to feel bad about the state of the hotel. This is a nice place. How can I help? I asked the desk clerk. She asked if she could help, and if there was anything I need and I said yes. Then she smiled and I smiled back.
- 10:00 AM: Packed. Said goodbye to the sock. (Weird, I'm actually going to miss that sock.) Checked out. Stood in the parking lot, staring at the Days Inn. Part of me didn't want to leave. It's like, the carpet… we bonded. In a weird, vaguely unsettling way.
- 10:30 AM: Final glimpse of Lake Michigan. Took one last deep breath of the air. I would be back, I know it.
- 10:40 AM: I thought about the trip back home. I was excited.
- 11:00 AM: Drive Home.
So, yeah. It wasn't perfect. It felt like the kind of "vacation" that leaves you more tired than when you started. But there were moments of beauty, moments of connection, and… well, the carpet was always there. And that, my friends, is the honest truth.
And now, back to my life. Until the next adventure…
…And yes, I'm still thinking about that carpet. Just saying.
Fargo's Hidden Gem: Unbeatable Deals at Country Inn & Suites!
Hold up. "Best Kept Secret" in Manitowoc? Seriously? Is this a joke?
Okay, okay, so what's the big secret? Free gold bars? A portal to Narnia? Tell me, dammit!
The Room. Spill. Was it clean? Was it… "haunted"? (I'm kidding… mostly).
Breakfast. The Continental kind? Scrambled eggs? Tell me about this legendary breakfast.
Okay, BUT what was the staff like? Were they welcoming? Rude? Did they have a parrot on their shoulder? (Dreaming here, I know).
Would you go back? Seriously. Be honest.
So, you said layers... What's the layer people really need to know about?
